Discoveries
by Gidella
Summary: Sometimes life changes when you least expect it. Sometimes you learn the truth too late to be able to act…crossover with Law & Order: SVU. Update: Chapter 11 has been posted!
1. Prologue

**Title: **Discoveries

**Author: **Clandestine (TTH)

**Rating: **FR 15 (TTH rating)

**Spoilers: **Takes place after season 7 of BtVS, though the ending has been slightly altered due to it being needed for me to be able to write this story. No real spoilers as to the SVU universe, let's just say it takes place in the early seasons of the show.

**Summary: **Sometimes life changes when you least expect it. Sometimes you learn the truth too late to be able to act…

**A/N:**_ This is just an experiment on my side. I got an idea, and decided to write it down. While I greatly appreciate all kinds of feedback, flames will be ignored._

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**Prologue:**

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_May, New York, 16th Precinct_

Dear Elliot,

You don't know me, but I guess you can say that I know you, or at least a little about you. It was needed after all if I was to be able to find you. My name is Dawn Summers and I'm the daughter of Joyce Summers, though you probably know her as Joyce Stabler, your ex wife. By now you're probably wondering why I wrote this letter, why I chose to make contact despite all the years that has passed since your divorce to my mother.

It's simple really. I never knew you existed. It wasn't until I stumbled across mom's diary that I learnt of your existence. You see, my mom never spoke to me, or my older sister, about you. Maybe she thought it was better that way. Or maybe she thought she'd be able to get in touch with you at another point in her life. After all, that's what most of us think. We believe there'll be another day, another chance. Only, it's a lie isn't it? An illusion. There's never enough time, all you really can do is make the best out of every day you're presented with.

I would have written to you sooner, but you're a hard man to find Mr. Stabler. It's taken me and my friends nearly six months to find you. And I'm relieved that we finally succeeded. Because it means I will be able to fulfill my sister's wishes.

I write this letter because I thought you deserve to know my mother died five years ago from complications after undergoing a surgery to remove a brain tumor she was suffering from. It happened very fast. I was told that she never felt any pain, never felt any fear, she never even knew what was happening. Her death was unexpected to say the least. The surgery was seen as a success and we all believed that she would make a full recovery. Turned out we were wrong because she died a few weeks later.

But what you also deserve to know, the real reason to why I'm writing to you, is that at the time of your divorce, my mother was pregnant with your child. A daughter that she at birth named Buffy Anne. She was my sister. And she died three years ago. She was the bravest person I've ever known, and you would have been proud over her. I know I was, and I still am. She was a hero.

She never learned of your existence, never got the chance, but if she had she would have tried to find you. I'm certain of it. She would have wanted to know you, at least to have you know of her existence. She wouldn't have been able to just walk away. And that's why I'm writing this letter. So that she won't be forgotten, so that the truth won't be forgotten.

I don't know if you'll believe this, if you'll believe in my words. Maybe it doesn't even matter since she's gone. But she was your daughter, and you would have loved her.

Sincerely,

Dawn Summers

**TBC…**

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	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _This story won't be very long, at least not as it's looking right now. It's merely something I'm writing while I wait for my computer to be repaired so that I can continue with my on-going stories._

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**Chapter 1:**

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Two weeks later, Cleveland, Council Headquarters

"You shouldn't have written that letter Dawn." The wicca's voice was low as she looked at the young brunette in front of her.

"He deserved to know." Dawn replied firmly, her face hiding her emotions.

"Why? She's gone. And him knowing will only create problems. It'll give him questions that we can't answer for him. He's a cop for crying out loud!"

"Willow…"

"You know I'm right." The redhead said calmly. "Hell, even finding him was wrong. It's everyone's fault. Mine as well. I shouldn't have said yes when you asked me."

"I'm not a child."

"No you aren't, but you're not thinking clearly about all this!"

"Buffy would have wanted him to know. She would have wanted to find him."

"Buffy is dead."

"Don't you think I know that?!" Dawn exclaimed heatedly. "You'd think I forget she was my sister just because she's dead?"

"Dawnie…" The redhead suddenly sounded regretful, realizing how harsh her words must've sounded.

"Look there's no point in arguing about this. It's done, and there's nothing you can do to change that." And with those words Dawn walked away, leaving a mournful witch behind.

**TBC…**

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	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Glad you all liked it. LOL._

**Chapter 2:**

_2 days later, New York, 16__th__ Precinct, late night_

"Elliot, you need to let this go." Olivia looked over at her partner who once again sat at his desk, looking at the computer as if it would give him answers to all the questions she knew were running around in his head.

"I can't".

"You don't even know if the letter is real." Fin intercepted, having witnessed this argument over and over during the past week since the detective first had received the letter.

"It's probably just a cruel joke." Munch added.

"I need to know." Elliot stopped for a second. "I could…I could have had a daughter out there who needed me and I didn't help her…"

"It's not your fault. You didn't know." Olivia said softly.

"Look, I'm gonna find this girl. And when I do I'll know for sure. Nothing you say will change my mind."

For a moment silence erupted in the room before Cragen finally looked at his detective with a somber face, knowing how much the entire situation was getting to them all.

"Then we'll help, but after we find this girl and talk to her, you gotta let this go Elliot. You can't let it interfere with your work again."

"I won't." Elliot replied before turning and walking out of the room.

**TBC…**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** _Sorry for the long disappearance but life just sorta got in the way…anyway, here's a little longer part as a result ;)_

**Chapter 3:**

_July, Cleveland, __Dawn's apartment, early morning_

The ringing phone woke a sleeping Dawn up, and she blindly reached for the phone on the nightstand next to the bed, picking it up to get the noise so stop.

"'ello." She mumbled, still keeping her eyes closed.

"Err, is this Dawn Summers?" An unknown voice asked on the other end.

"Yeah…"

Slowly Dawn managed to pull away from the beckoning sleep and fiddled with the lamp, cursing quietly to herself before she finally managed to turn it on and then look at the clock. 7 AM. She groaned. She hated mornings.

"…Who is this?" She asked, her brows furrowing in thought as she tried to place the voice.

"My…my name is Elliot Stabler." The man finally said after clearing his throat slightly.

"Oh."

"You eh…you sent me a letter a while back…"

"Yeah, I remember." Dawn replied softly. "So you got it then, I wasn't sure."

"Why wouldn't I have gotten it?"

"Let's just say I wouldn't have been surprised if you never received it." Then Dawn cursed again, mentally, she really had a big mouth. "I take it your call means you won't be letting this go."

"Miss Summers, I…"

"Call me Dawn." She interrupted, smiling slightly, he sounded like a nice man. "I have a tendency to think I'm in trouble whenever someone calls me Miss Summers."

"You get into a lot of trouble?" The man, Elliot, suddenly asked.

"No more than usual."

An uncomfortable silence erupted between them and for a moment Dawn didn't know what to say. She had known this call probably would come, yet she hadn't been prepared at all for it. This man had been Buffy's biological father, was with all probability her father as well. Even if he might never learn that fact. And he was a cop.

"So you're a cop…"

"Yeah.., how'd you know that?" She could hear the weariness in his voice.

"When my friends and I were trying to find you we managed to find out you were working as a cop."

"I…I work in the special victims unit." He said after a moment.

"What does that mean?"

"My unit handles special cases."

"Like racial or sexual crimes?"

"Yeah. I guess you could say that." For a moment he was quiet but then he spoke again. "I'd…I'd really like to know more about my…daughter." His voice was soft, almost sad.

And when Dawn heard the words she wanted to cry, for just one moment she wished that her life had been different and that Buffy was still alive. She knew her sister was happy now, at peace, but it didn't lessen the pain that still cut through her at moments like this one.

"I…I have some time off in a few days Mr. Stabler, if you want I could come to New York." Dawn said, her voice wavering slightly as she nervously waited for his response.

"Yeah…I'd like that." He said, his voice filled with relief. "And call me Elliot Dawn, only people I don't like call me Mr. Stabler." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Sure…"

**TBC…**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _Once again, sorry for disappearing for so long but I'm back, and with a "working" computer. Well, we'll see for how long because I've got the sneaking feeling it's about to crash again but I'm gonna do my best with whatever time I've got and I'm trying to update __**all**__ my stories as soon as possible, I've already done so with Homecoming and after this one I'll be working like crazy to get a new chapter up of Colliding Lives._

_Thanks for you reviews guys. Reading your comments makes me smile ;)_

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**Chapter ****4:**

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_July, Cleveland, __Council Headquarters, late afternoon_

"Where is she?" Giles asked, worry in his voice.

"We don't know. When we couldn't get a hold of her yesterday we went to her apartment." Xander replied. "That's when we found the note."

"What'd it say?"

"That she needed to take a break and that she would be out of reach for a few days." Faith said softly.

"Stupid girl! She knows better than to do something like this!" The older man exploded.

"She's grown up G-man; she's not a little girl anymore. She can make her own decisions." The brunette slayer replied calmly.

"But she should know better than to disappear. What if she ends up in trouble?" Willow retorted, her face weary.

"She'll handle it. She can take care of herself. Dawn isn't stupid."

"We never should have found Stabler for her. That's what created this mess to begin with."

"Oh come on, you if anyone should know that Dawn wouldn't have given up if we had said no." Faith scoffed. "She's as stubborn as her sister."

"I promised Buffy I'd take care of her." Willow stated, her voice tired. "I can't do that if she acts like this. Neither of us can."

"She's an adult." Faith said. "All of you still think and act as if she can't make her own decisions and you're wrong."

"You know where she is, don't you?" Giles suddenly said, looking at the slayer with a somber face, realization in his eyes.

"Yeah…I do."

"Where is she?" Xander asked, his voice low and restrained.

"I'm sorry. I promised her I wouldn't tell you."

"Faith!"

"I'm on her side in this." For a moment the slayer closed her eyes and then she looked at the others in the room again. "Don't try and find her, she'll come back when she's done. When she's ready. Just let her be."

"She's gone to New York, hasn't she?" Willow asked.

"This is something she has to do. And it's her decision to make, not yours. Leave her alone."

And with those words the brunette walked out, leaving the room's remaining occupants in complete silence.

**TBC…**

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	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** _Once again, sorry for disappearing. Again. LOL. But I swear I never intended things to be like this. I just happen to be busy. Between preparing for graduation next week as well as looking for a job (even got an interview lined up next week as well) I just haven't had a chance to really write anything. And as I've stated before, this story is more like continuous ficlets than a story and I know it's disappointing but it's the way it is. Thanks for your reviews guys! I appreciate them ;)_

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**Chapter ****5:**

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_Two days__ later,_ _New York, 16__th__ Precinct_

As Dawn stepped out of the cab she looked around. She'd never been in New York before and despite she was there for a reason, she couldn't help but feel a little like a tourist, and even feel amazed over how different the city was compared to the places she'd lived in before.

And she loved it.

She knew Buffy would've loved the city too. The pang of pain she felt at the memory of her sister quickly got her back to reality. And why she was standing outside a police station. She was there to see Buffy's biological father, _her_ father too. Not that he'd ever know that, she thought bitterly to herself as she slowly walked inside the building.

Nervousness spread inside of her as she zigzagged between the people inside the station. All the faces were unknown, some had eyes that looked dead, and others were filled with pain. But Dawn didn't blink. After living a life in danger for so long little fazed her, or at least that's the way it appeared. Especially after Buffy's death.

When the brunette finally found the right floor she let out the small breath she'd been holding. She was really doing this. She was really meeting him.

On the entire flight she'd half expected Willow or someone else from the Scooby gang to pop up and drag her back to Cleveland. But they hadn't. She knew she had Faith to thank for that. The older slayer had become an unexpected confidante since her sister's death. And for that Dawn was glad. She didn't think she'd ever have been able to do this on her own.

When she walked into the squad room belonging to SVU she stopped. The room only had a few occupants, all men except one female, and all looked worn out and tired. For a short moment she found herself wondering why. Before she could open her mouth to ask them for Elliot Stable an elderly looking man appeared in front of her with a small smile.

"I'm captain Craigen, can I help you?"

"I'm…I'm looking for detective Elliot Stabler." Dawn said finally, her voice soft as she held the bag she'd been carrying closer to her.

Without hesitation the man called out "Elliot" and as Dawn followed his gaze she found herself looking at a middle aged man with gentle brown eyes, sitting at a desk, obviously occupied with work of some kind. As she met his gaze she the familiar tugging in her heart. His eyes' resembled her sister's. And without thinking she slowly walked over to him, smiling a small nervous smile when she stopped at his desk.

"Are you Elliot?" She asked softly.

"Are you…"

"I'm Dawn. We talked on the phone a few days ago." She said at last, barely noticing how the entire room suddenly seemed to stop and stare at her at the sound of her words.

"I'm…I'm glad you're here." Elliot said finally, his eyes soft, sad.

"Yeah…me too."

**TBC…**

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	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** So I've been gone for a VERY long time. Major sorry for that.

**Chapter 6:**

_1 hour later, New York, Starbucks_

They were sitting quietly by a small corner table, drinking their coffee, while other customers in the café were chattering around them, their voices seeping into the pair's non-existing conversation. Which, in the end, led to Dawn talking for the first time since they left the police station.

"I'm...ah...sorry for the quietness here when I promised to tell you about her. It's been...a long time since I talked about Buffy to an outsider."

"An outsider?" Elliot asked, his brows crinkling.

"Someone who wasn't there." She quickly explained. "When she...uh...died."

"Oh."

"Yeah." The girl sighed. "I thought it'd be easier than this. Guess I was wrong."

For a moment silence took over again.

"What was...what was Buffy like?" Elliot asked softly, looking down on his coffee.

"She was...Buffy." Dawn smiled vistfully. "She used to be a cheerleader in high school for one thing."

"Really?"

"Not something you'd really believe when you saw her later on though. She changed a lot. With Mom dying and all...it was hard. For her especially I think. With having to take care of me and all. She had to drop out of college."

"What about your Dad?" Elliot looked at her with concern. Maybe even pity, Dawn thought.

"He was never really in the picture I suppose. After the divorce, we pretty much never saw him. So when Mom died, it was Buffy and me."

"I'm sorry."

"Naw, don't be." Dawn smiled softly. "Mom was great. And so was...so was Buffy. They were the best family I could ever have."

"How did she...how did she die?"

Dawn tensed the moment the question sunk in. Logically she'd known it'd be asked. She'd practiced a million replies in front of her mirror before she left to catch the plane to New York. But it didn't stop the pang of hurt from going through her. Or stop the bitterness over knowing she could never tell him the truth.

"We were living in Sunnydale at the time." The brunette finally said.

"The sinkhole town?"

"Yeah. She uh...never made it out of there."

The reply seemed to satisfy Elliot. Though as Dawn looked at him, saw the shock in his eyes, she wondered if perhaps she shouldn't prepare a more elaborate answer. The man was a cop after all. And from the little they'd talked, he didn't seem stupid. Nor did he seem to be like the Sunnydale cops. She didn't think he'd hide from the truth. Ever.

**TBC...**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

_Evening, New York, Starbucks_

To Dawn's immense relief most of Elliot's questions seemed to relate to seemingly little things as their meeting went on. The things that she easily could answer. Buffy's favorite food. What she liked to listen to on the radio... The list went on. And as they talked, as Dawn told the police man about his daughter, something inside of her started to calm down. She was well aware that she'd been a bundle of nerves ever since Sunnydale disappeared as it had. And she knew that the Scoobies had noticed it as well, knew that a part of their fierce protection of her came from her change in personality after Buffy's death.

Those thoughts came back to her in full force as Elliot helped her into a cab that would take her back to her hotel for the night. For a moment, Dawn fought to remain in control of her feelings, refusing to break down in front of the one man she desperately did not want to see her tears.

She'd fought the memories for so long. Throwing herself into work, into school, into the things that go bump in the night in desperate attempts to make the pain go away. She'd lost her family. Sure, she still had the gang but it wasn't the same. No matter how much they all pretended it was. At least not to her. Buffy had been her anchor. Her protector. Her sister. Her reason to exist. If it hadn't been for Buffy the monks would've put her into another form. In the form of a brother or sister to another fighter for the light. She wouldn't have been Dawn Summers. And she would not have been Elliot Stabler's unknown, magical daughter.

That was why she contacted a man she knew nothing about, yet shared blood with. Because she could not loose another part of herself. Another part of her family. And she could not stand by to see Buffy be forgotten as time passed. No, she wanted her sister to be remembered. Always. So that, in essence, she'd be remembered too. Key or not.

Not that she'd tell him that. She couldn't. Not only because of the secrecy surrounding it all. But because of the brief time she'd spent with Elliot Stabler. Those few hours told her that he was not the kind of man that would accept the knowledge that he'd had a daughter out there who had been forced to fight evil for the better part of her life, without her father to support her. Or that she'd died doing it. No, he'd grieve knowing that. Blame himself for something he'd had no control over. And Dawn couldn't do that to him.

All Elliot really needed to know was that Buffy had been someone he could be proud of.

**TBC...**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

_New York, 2 days later, Blueford Hotel._

If it was one thing Dawn never would have expected, it was having Faith Lehane pop up at her hotel room at 7 AM. But the moment the key recognized her, she knew without a doubt that the Scoobies were coming to drag her ass back to Cleveland and Faith was there to give her the heads up.

"How long?"

"A few hours at the most." Faith replied. "If you need to do anything, now's the time to do it."

"You mean like say goodbye to Elliot?" Dawn said bitterly as she turned and walked straight back into the room, throwing her suitcase open on the bed to start to pack.

"Yeah."

For a few minutes the younger girl busied herself by packing, before pausing, a question coming to mind.

"Why didn't you just call?"

"I didn't know what you'd wanna do." The slayer finally stated after a moment of silence.

"What? You thought I was going to run?"

"Maybe."

"I'm not stupid. They'd find me all the same."

"One's rarely ever clever all the time D."

"Talking from experience?" The bitterness was evident in her voice.

"Stop being bitchy. I'm on your side, remember?"

The words made Dawn flinch. She'd fought to be seen as a grown up for so long, and here she was, reverting back to her days as a brat.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Faith leaned against the wall, crossing her arms in the process. "Now you better hurry or we won't be able to hit Starbucks before you meet Elliott."

"Starbucks? You that desperate for coffee? Dawn joked as she quickly threw on a pair of jeans and sweater.

"Damn straight I am, I haven't slept for like 36 hours." Faith paused for a second before grinning. "And for some reason I don't think you'd like me falling asleep at the police station."

"You do that and I'll never smuggle beer to you when in the hospital ever again." Dawn threatened, but with a small smile on her lips.

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20 minutes later the pair was off after having completed the necessary paperwork to check out. Another 15 minutes and they found themselves at a Starbucks close to the 16th precinct, waiting in line to order while stressed out locals buzzed around them.

The two waited in silence till they got their coffee and left the store.

"You know," Faith finally said as she took a zip of her coffee. "you could always hide out here for a while."

"Please, like that would work. Wills would find me before I had time to blink." Dawn looked away, a look of sadness passing her face. "They don't understand you know? No matter how hard I try it's like I'm still a 14 year old brat in their eyes. And hiding, that'd just confirm that to them."

"Yeah." For a moment Faith was quiet. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep them away."

"It's alright." Dawn sighed. "You tried. I kinda figured I wouldn't have much time. I'm surprised I got as much time away as I did."

"You figured out what you're going to tell him?"

"Elliot?"

"Yeah."

"The usual. A crisis at work or whatever." Dawn met the slayer's look as they passed the street. "But he'll ask questions I think. Or rather, I know he will. I just don't know what to answer to those."

"You could say it's classified."

"But that'd raise more questions, wouldn't it? Especially with me being this young. It wouldn't make sense for him." The brunette snorted bitterly. "The Scoobies were right about this being problematic. Perhaps it was a bad idea. I just… I couldn't help it. I wanted to see him so badly, and now, when I have, " Dawn blinked away the tears threatening to fall. "now I just want more time with him."

"It doesn't have to be final. You can see him again when the others have calmed down a bit, seen some reason…"

"I told myself I wouldn't. I told myself this would have to be enough. I know we have to keep our secrets, I know that I can't tell him about them. And if I keep in touch with him, he'll want to know. He'll see through whatever lies I tell him and he'll start to doubt it all. Even Buffy being his daughter. I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen."

**TBC…**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

_New York, 16th precinct, same day_

Elliot Stabler had always known life was hard. That it at times even was dark, hopeless. But none the less hope had always been a strong presence throughout his days. Hope for the future. Hope for the victims he met through his job. Hope for justice.

When he'd first learned of the unknown deceased daughter that he apparently had, he'd at first been weary. Shocked. But that had slowly given away to determination to find out the truth. The search for it led him to Dawn Summers. The half sister to his "daughter". He hadn't wanted to believe that it was true. That he'd had a daughter out there growing up without him there to see it, to participate in her life. He'd told himself that Dawn Summers had to be wrong about it all. Either that or that she was trying to fool him.

But the moment he met the young brunette his certainty had faded and he'd suddenly found himself unsure. Perhaps he _was_ wrong. Because the brunette's eyes reminded him of a woman a long time ago. A woman named Joyce with enchanting eyes and a killer smile. And in that moment he knew that the letter had been real. That Dawn was telling the truth.

His colleagues had been doubtful. Which hadn't come as a surprise. After all that they'd seen and been through, trust didn't come easy to any of them. But they did understand instinct. And when they'd asked him why he believed Dawn and he replied that his instinct told him she was telling the truth, they reluctantly backed off. He still felt their eyes on him, their doubt. But Elliot refused to let them sway him. Refused to listen to their comments. Instead he threw himself into finding out about his daughter. The girl named Buffy Anne that he'd never had the chance to know. And as more and more questions surfaced, Elliot found that he desperately wanted more answers.

Answers as to how and why his daughter was six feet under the ground. He wasn't an easily fooled man. He'd realized Dawn was avoiding to answer his question the moment she spoke. But he hadn't questioned it at the time. He'd assumed that she still found the memories painful. A logical assumption since it'd been clear from the beginning that she loved her older sister. And that she was still reeling from the loss of her.

But days later Elliot was no longer sure. As time had passed he'd gone over the meeting with Dawn in his head over and over again and had come to realization that a lot of her answers had been careful. As if she'd thought them over and rehearsed her answers. Almost as if to make sure that she wouldn't say too much. She hadn't let things slip. He'd conducted enough interviews with grieving victims to know that grief caused strange reactions, yet a seed of doubt was planted in his mind as to why Dawn had acted the way she had. It wasn't something he'd shared with his partner. Or his family. No, Elliot desperately wanted to believe Dawn's story. He didn't want to doubt her. And admitting his suspicions to someone else would be doing just that.

So he had kept quiet. But the moment he saw Dawn once again step through the doors to SVU along with another brunette, something made him believe that she truly hadn't told him everything. Because the look in her eyes as she met his gaze told him that she was leaving. And he suddenly had the feeling that he wouldn't see her again. Ever.

**TBC…**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N:** _Yep, another update! Thank you all for reviewing!_

**Chapter 10****:**

_New York, 16__th__ precinct, same day_.

Dawn had always known life was hard. That it was cruel and ugly and dark. She hadn't been blind to the darkness her sister fought so hard against. But nor had she been blind to the other side of life. The happiness. The love. The laughter. Not that had been the kind of life she expected to have. After all, she wasn't one of the normal ones. The ones with a 9 to 5 kind of job. The ones with family, with boyfriends and girlfriends.

She wasn't even "born" in the way others were.

Perhaps that was why she wasn't surprised that life once again had managed to turn against her. And perhaps that was why she knew she'd survive it.

What she hadn't expected, however, was the blinding pain at the thought of never seeing her father again. Her real father. Dawn had thought she was prepared for it. Only it turned out she wasn't. And as she watched her father's face from across the room, it took all the control she had to not run to him and jump into his arms and ask him to protect her. To make the nightmare go away.

Dawn stayed strong though. And she took a deep breath and started to walk towards him, forgetful of Faith by her side or the stares they received by the room's other occupants.

"Hey Elliot."

"Dawn." His voice was calm, but the questions were clear in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

She wanted to smile then. Smile at the way he spoke, the way he looked. In that moment she could see Buffy in him.

"I wanted to say goodbye."

"What's going on?"

She looked away at the question, unable to meet his gaze. And then she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she realized that Faith was there and she wasn't alone and she could do this. She was strong.

"There's a problem at work, and they need me back sooner than expected. You know how it is."

"That's a load of crap." He stated quietly. "Tell me the truth."

"It is the truth." She retorted, forcing herself to look at him and not flinch. "My job's important to me Elliot, and it was surprising that I could stay even this long."

"You've only been here for a few days!"

"And my job is very demanding." She exclaimed. "Why do you think I understood when you had to cut our time short? My job's the same."

"And what is your job?" Elliot asked abruptly. "Because now that I think about it you never told me."

The question hung in the air as they stared at each other. Dawn was well aware of Faith tensing beside her, but the slayer remained quiet by her side.

"Look, I didn't come here to argue." Dawn finally said. "I just wanted to let you know that I was leaving. That's all."

"So that's it? You write me a letter telling me about a daughter I never knew about, you come to visit and then you just walk away? You figure your duty's done now that you've gone and screwed up my life?"

The anger in his voice made her tense even more. But as she looked at him, she could see the sadness in his eyes and something inside shattered.

"I'm sorry."

And with those words she turned and walked away. She didn't look back, nor did she react to Elliot calling her name. Instead she just walked. She forced herself to breath and not cry.

"You did the right thing D." Faith said as they left the room behind them and walked towards the elevators. "He's better off not knowing."

"Explain that to Elliot."

**TBC…**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:**_ Sorry I kinda left this story hanging. Just got caught up in life. Thanks for all the reviews!_

**Chapter 11:**

_Cleveland headquarters, three weeks later:_

"Why won't you let me get to know him?"

"Because you were broken Dawn." The witch whispered as she looked at her. "We could all see it. Something died with Buffy and you haven't been yourself since."

"But…"

"Don't you get it? Getting to know him, it won't give you your sister back."

"He shares my blood." Dawn said softly. "That means something."

"But you'd never be able to tell him that. Not without changing his life completely, not without telling him about all the dangers in the world that aren't caused by humans."

"I know."

"We wanted to protect you Dawnie. Perhaps it was wrong, to make you leave him like that. But we did it out of love."

"It's not fair Willow." The brunette sighed. "They _made_ me out of Buffy. Then they just took her away, and left me here. And I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know what I am without her."

"You are _you_, Dawn. You don't need any blood ties to this world in order to live in it." Willow stated. "And living isn't following Buffy's path, it's following _your_ _own_."

**TBC…**


End file.
